The Mountains Blade

Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Eight- A Stone Cage

Evanders eyes bore into Elwyns. She had not spoken a word in three days. She sat in a colorless room with stone walls. There was a single bed bolted to the ground with luscious silk blankets. There were no windows or door handles. A small toilet and tub were on the opposite side, pristine with a curtain to cover for privacy. 

Elwyn clenched and unclenched her hands. 

Evander stood against the flat wall, where the doorway should have been. It could only be opened from the outside. 

She felt like a prisoner. She was a prisoner. Aldric was gone and this was the safest place for her. She had told herself this over and over but all she felt was boiling rage. Her so called 'mate' had locked her in a room with nothing but her thoughts and the bare necessities. She couldn't even see the weather outside.

This, however did not stop the weather from raining down on her. Inside the cell fire licked at the walls, careful not to singe through yet another bed set. Each day, thus far she had to be given a new bed set. She was trying to take the time to learn her powers. 

Elwyn quickly learned how much her emotions drove her powers. Her parents keeping her powers a secret. Burned sheets. Evander locking her up. Burned sheets and black walls.  Failing her kingdom and Avelina. Burned sheets. Again. 

Elwyn breathed through her nose audibly, trying not to acknowledge the intense look that Evander gave her. His eyes bore into hers, he had tried to speak to her once. It had been a simple "hello" and Elwyn had lit his cloak on fire. 

She knew that the bracelet that she wore was doing nothing. It no longer held her powers at an arm's length. She had awoken to find the jewelry gone, rain pouring someberly over her. She had come to the conclusion that she could wield, water, and fire. She had no idea what else she was capable of. Her thoughts about hurting others were another reason she left herself planted on the concrete floor. It was cold but with a concentrated thought, the floor around her would warm.

Elwyn did not do any such thing, instead bathing in her own misery; chilled shivers echoing throughout the hollow room. 

"I'm sorry." 

Elwyn looked at Evander with hooded eyes, the only indicator of her surprise, knitted brows. 

Elwyn swallowed, her throat feeling dry. 

She shrugged and waited in deafening silence for him to leave. She didn't want to cry anymore. If she did, rain would begin to pour down in this room. She had no control over which power she contained, only the ability to direct it at things in her emotional turmoil. And even that level of control was spotty.

Elwyn placed her chin on her knees and listened as Evander sighed. 

He shuffled over to her and the sound of metal unraveling drew her attention as a shiny necklace was dangled before her. 

The light of the room caught the silver  of the necklace. It was a dainty pattern of raindrops, stars, and suns. In the center of the suns were shimmering black diamonds. 

Elwyn lifted her head to look at the dark beauty before her then back to the necklace. 

"If you agree to wear this, you can leave this room." 

Elwyn blinked up at him. She scrutinized him, standing up on shaking legs. 

The warrior squared her shoulders and held her chin high, nodding stiffly. 

The king motioned for her to turn. 

Elwyn faced the blank wall, staring intensely at the fine grains of stone. Her heart pounded in the silence, warmth spreading over her shoulders as Evander looped his hands in front of her. 

With a small clipping noise, it was set in place, the warmth of his skin leaving her; cold silver replacing it. 

Elwyn turned and looked up at Evander. The girls eyes were fragile and childlike for a moment before they became hard. "It took time to find any cooperative witches, willing to help a wolf king." He answered to her brewing question. "You begin training tomorrow and can leave in two weeks time as long as you can control your power."

Elwyn paused and searched his eyes for any notion of deceit. Her mother had told her how hard it was for specials to let each other go, especially those with more animal instincts. She should be grateful but seeing as he was the reason she was even here to begin with... 

When she said nothing, Evanders face softened into what she assumed was defeat. 

He turned to the door and it opened expectantly, staying open as he waited for her to walk before him. 

Elwyn looked around the room she had grown used to in the long 72 hours she had endured. Her hands crackled with energy but only a small cough of smoke emitted from her fingertips. 

She blinked at her damaged nails, looking at her ruined cuticles from trying to claw her way out. Evander followed her gaze. "There is medicine in your room for any wounds. I will have one of the nurses from the hospital ward come check in on you." 

Elwyn shook her head and Evander watched as she paused a foot away. 

"Where is Aldric?"

Evander noticeably pressed his lips together. The hint of a canine, glinting in the hallway light. 

"He's not here." Elwyn chewed her lips at his response. That was not at all what she wanted to hear. "How can I be sure he won't kill my sister?" Or markarious... 

"I have contacted the Lord of IronBrook and his son is watching over her as we speak."

Evander disappeared into the dark hallway before she could ask anything else. 

Elwyn stared at the empty doorway, unlike what she expected. Where she had imagined guards was oil lamps. The warrior frowned. Everything about the castle was dark and cold. She felt unease and questions stir in her. Why was Markarious already with Avelina? It took a weeks journey to fromm IronBrook to Goldmoon. Only the planes used by kings could move anyone with that much speed.

The castle was the opposite of her home, no glittering gold and shimmering floors. Elwyn listened to the slap of her feet as she exited the room. Her mind was cloudy with a creeping sadness. Where rain would have poured down, now only her heart ached with unshed tears. 

"Wynn?" Elwyn jumped her fist flying into the person who appeared before her. 

Her fist jabbed into Danes throat and he coughed roughly, missing at grabbing her hand. Elwyn had strategically moved out of his way. Unlike the girl she was days ago, so impossibly human, now she had supernatural speed. 

Both her and Dane blinked at each other dumbstruck. She had dodged a werewolves grasp.